


Allowed to

by aucellaq



Series: Fool the king [1]
Category: Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper (2004)
Genre: Angst, Anneliese pov, Barbie needs more lesbians, F/F, Fluff, Political Alliances, eventual kissies, more worldbuilding than the movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 10:31:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17058140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aucellaq/pseuds/aucellaq
Summary: Au in which instead of switching lives quite as drastically, the Princess leaves town with her new tailor, heading out to see King Dominic´s kingdom to make assessments of the man´s rule. However, the woman showing up to greet the king bears no shoulder mark and carries hardly the same pose as a Princess, but Erika sees the truth in people easier, where it’s always troubled Anneliese. The decision is not made in a flash of life and death, but after a series of planning, leading up to the two women together in a carriage discussion th epossible outcomes of their mission.But there is a tension between them, and the Princess in a pauper´s dress cannot see why.





	Allowed to

**Author's Note:**

> barbie fics has a severe lack of lesbians and im here to change that
> 
> note: this has not be beta´d or edited too much, since i don't care too much for that with fics, rather putting that kind of energy into my original works, so if there's mistakes, just ignore em

“I’m still not sure this is wise, your majesty.”

 Erika readjusted the hem of her cuffs, so Anneliese had to pull it out again. For a tailor, she was not caught up in how a dress should be worn. “The frill has to be visible, otherwise what’s the point of having it?”

 “It scratches,” Erika complained, almost steaming out the ears. “Making the design, I didn’t imagine it feeling as if Wolfie was licking me!”

 Princess Anneliese giggled, hiding her mouth behind her hand. It was odd not wearing a glove, seeing them instead on Erika´s hands, snug around her fingers.

 The moment she’d learned of a girl her exact age, living under scrutiny of the very woman claiming to make all her wonderful dresses, taking the honor of the poor girl, Anneliese had written to the store and soon had herself a personal tailor living close to her own quarters. Much encouragement of her new friend and her beloved tutor Julian had led Anneliese the way to postpone any wedding ceremonies, until this King Dominic could prove himself a benefit to the kingdom of Twain.

 Erika was nervous about the plan, of course. She’d had little time to learn all the rules Anneliese had grown up following and breaking every day, and though Julian was an excellent tutor, managing to magically transform Erika´s broken poise into an unbending pole, the once pauper girl still had a sense of dread to her. She continuously corrected her dress and stared out the carriage window, watching the landscape pass on by in quick procession. The rain had come late on the day, but it was almost a comfort listening to the drops plummet on the roof of the royal carriage.

 “What if I fall over?” she pressed, passing out her anxiety like pieces of chocolate. “Could you imagine, me falling on my nose right in front of an actual king?! I’d be ridiculed by is whole court, making a complete fool of you!”

 “You won’t do that Erika,” Anneliese calmly, as comforting as she could. Her mother was much better at this, but even the Queen did not know the entire plan. She’d never agree; besides, someone had to stay back and keep that terrible Preminger distracted while they’re away.

 Anneliese huffed to herself, looking down at the simple brown and blue dress she’d certainly not left the castle in.

 “Your majesty … Anneliese, is something the matter?”

 Anneliese held her hands tightly in her lab, unable to do more with them but shake. “This feels wrong. Lying to a king, it isn’t done.”

 “We discussed this Anneliese, it’s just for a little bit. He won’t even know.” Suddenly the tables had turned, and now Anneliese held the basket of worry and planned to throw it at the crowd at first chance.

 “That’s my issue! He’ll never know, and our alliance will be built on falsehood.”

 Erika made quick work of switching to the cart seat beside the princess and took her hands in her own. “Be calm my princess, it will only be for a little while. You and I both know you cannot get the right read of him if you’re his focus, you need the outside perspective others won’t show a princess. As a mere tailor, you’ll be mostly overlooked and able to see truth.”

 Nodding along, Anneliese only felt herself becoming heavier and heavier, till she rested her head on Erika´s shoulder and sighed.

 “I wish I wasn’t a princess,” she whispered, her voice melancholy. “It’s unfair to say, I know. My life is such a privilege, alone compared to how you lived before, and even how you live now. I apologize Erika, you must think me selfish and crude.”

 “I would never –“

 “No, I am.” Anneliese sat up and looked at her friend seriously, wishing to be lost in her blue eyes all over again, like the day at the market they met. First, she’d thought the interest had come from their likeness, simply herself admiring the beauty of the woman because it matched her own. Perhaps it was vanity, she’d thought, and choosing to drag Erika to the castle was only to have a walking mirror.

 Now, she was not so sure.

 “It would be easier, if I could hand it all over to you. If anyone deservers all this prestige, it’s you.”

 Her cheeks turned red as she said it, but she was staring at the other woman´s reaction of shock.

 Erika took her hands from Anneliese´s lab, much to the Princess´ regret, only to move them to cup her face. “This is what we spoke of, remember? This is how we’ll be free, or at least a step toward it. If the King is a good man, perhaps he’ll allow you the freedom to pursue science, just like you’ve always wanted. I might even put the wig on again if he doesn’t, when you need a day off.”

 Anneliese thought she could melt in Erika´s sure hands. Hardened by life and work, so unlike the hands of a princess.

 Did she not see the unfairness? How being the wife of a wealthy king allowed her all kinds of good and services, more freedom than being a princess with an empty treasury did, a better life than a pauper girl could even dream of.

 She closed her eyes harshly, grabbing Erika´s hands to plant a kiss in each palm. “You are too good to me. I understand you feel obligated to do this, but you are putting everything on the line to help someone who hardly did anything for you. A mere swoop of my hand and you were out of that shop, don’t you ever wonder why nobody in court has done that for the rest of the city?”

 Finally, doubt settled in Erika´s sweet face, but it only struck a nail in Anneliese´s stomach, as it became darker and distant from the girl she knew. She took her hardened hands back and moved away.

 “Stop the carriage,” she said, under her breath at first, so low Anneliese hardly heard, then again, louder, with more command. “Stop the carriage!”

 Horses neighed in surprised as the carrier reined them in, and Erika was out before it was completely still, no longer caring that the rain and mud would hurt the dress.

 After a fleeting few seconds the guards shouted after her, falling for the lie just as well, but Anneliese knew she would just ignore them and keep going. She’d have done the same.

 The carrier, an old man close to his seventies who had been with this family since Anneliese was born, showed up in the door, looking somberly at his princess. With one look, he immediately knew, and bowed his head subtly.

 “Should I get her, my – I mean …” Of course, it was difficult for him not using a formal address, but Anneliese quickly got up and put a comforting hand on his wet shoulder. Why did he not have a cover? He’d become terrible sick out here.

 “Sit in here and get warm, I’ll return the Princess.” And so Anneliese went after Erika, disguised as a tailor and therefore unnoticed by the guards, as she followed them on their way to the girl in a pretty princess dress. They stopped nearby some trees, which Erika kneeled below to sob.

 “Should we carry her in?” asked one guard, Harris, if she recall it right. He was kind and well into his years working for the castle, but not familiar enough to allow a slip in front of.

 “Maybe let her cry out first, I’m sure it’s hard to be so far from home.”

 They didn’t know half the truth. Neither of the girls had been this far from the kingdom before, but this was nowhere close to as distressing as to why Erika was shaking and moaning as she cried.

 Anneliese pushed past them with a small apology. Harris took her sharply by the arm, till he realized she’d also been in the cart.

 “Sorry girl, but the Princess has not allowed anyone to come near.”

 “Let her.”

 They both looked to Erika, who in turn had not moved, but still spoke through the noise of the fleeting rain. Her voice was harsh and biting.

 “My Princess?”

 “She is allowed, let her.”

 Doubtfully, Harris let Anneliese go, unaware that the marks he’d left was on the arm of his real Princess. She touched it to comfort the pain, but knew the hurt ran deeper, when she kneeled by Erika´s side and instead put the hand on her back.

 “What’s the matter?”

 Still shaking, Erika now muttered the answer. “Make them leave.”

 Anneliese turned back to the guards, who were watching them diligently. “The Princess wishes you return to your horses. You can still see her from there.”

 For a moment she feared it didn’t work, till they bowed and did as she said. Once they were far enough, she turned back to her friend and caressed her shoulder.

 “I’m not dumb,” Erika said, instantly sending shivers down Anneliese´s spine. “My parents taught me more than how to read. They were not well off, but they cared about the kingdom as much as they cared for me. I understand your position and how our lives cannot compare, I made that clear from the start.”

 The girl straightened up. Her eyes were red and puffy. Around them the rain had quietly stilled, but they were both damp and wet from the brief time running under the fall. Their wigs wouldn’t be in good shape later, but right now all Anneliese care about was to wipe away the tears on a face so much like her own, but so much more than her.

 “Erika, I thought –“

 “That I was dull?”

 “No!” In a panic, Anneliese took her face in her hands, cupping it just the same, feeling just how hot Erika´s cheeks were. Almost as hot as her own. “No, you are brilliant. You are smarter than any other woman I’ve known, and certainly smarter than me.”

 Erika tried to get out of her grip. “Your majesty,” she urged.

 “No, please listen. You are my dearest friend and I … I want better for you. I –“ She cut herself off, afraid of what she might say next if allowed to. If only she was allowed to. “I care about your happiness, don’t you see?”

 Erika´s cheeks only got warmer, as she closed her eyes and sighed into the soft hands. “I do, that’s why I agreed to do this. My happiness depends on this going well.”

 “I though you wanted to sing.”

 “And I still do,” she said, looking out again, catching Anneliese´s eyes so softly. “But since we met, I’ve wanted more. Never did I imagine a world where I could have more wishes than one; but see me now.”

 Anneliese´s breath was heavy, when she met their foreheads and let out a sob. “Erika, I don’t understand you.”

 A rough hand touched hers, and she pulled away to see Erika swelled with tears again, but she was also smiling.

 “And here I was calling you smart.” She took a small breath, then leaned forward the little way there was and pressed her lips to the other woman´s.

 Her mouth was not hardened by work, unlike the Princess, whose entire life was built of what passed those lips. Now the only thing passing them was the small breaths of surprise and relief as she was allowed pushing closer to her dearest friend.

 Erika was the one who pulled back, still smiling and crying and laughing happily. She took Anneliese´s hands and held them to her heart, that beat just as wildly as the Princess´ own. But the shock carried on the woman´s face stopped it shortly, till she spoke.

 “You … you can just do that?”

 Then Erika laughed louder than she ever would, but how her face widened in smiles only brought more joy to Anneliese, as her stomach flared up and melted away the nails. She had never imagined doing something so daring as this, to just jump at a kiss with no ceremony or arrangements, and never with Erika. Now she couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

 Erika leaned forward again. “We should go back to the carriage. It’s a little more private.”

 Suddenly Anneliese remembered the guards and carrier, who would have seen it all from a distance. What would happen now?

 The same concern did not seem to bother the make-believe Princess, as she rose to her feet, straightened the dress and pulled Anneliese with her back to the road.

 Not a word was spoken by the guards when they passed to the carriage. Then the carrier stepped outside and held the door for them, nodding to each as they stepped in. Before he closed it, he stuck in his head and said, “I’ll probably have to take a longer route, your majesty, now everything is muddy.”

 Anneliese was first confused, seeing as that was usually not a problem, and then she saw the glint in his eye. She understood, and Erika thanked him before he left.

 The horses were in pace again, slower now, and outside a fog was rising, hiding them inside their own little world.

 Erika sat across from her, and she looked so beautiful, so much like herself, when she pulled off the wig and ruffled trough her amber hair. Her eyes rose to Anneliese.

 “Kissing oneself felt odd, don’t you agree?”

 The thought hadn’t crossed Anneliese, and didn’t again, when she threw herself thoughtlessly at the most brilliant woman she’d ever met. Outside the carriage the cold was uncomfortable and clammy, but within it’s fogged up windows, the heat was close and comforting, holding the women just as close as their arms did each other.


End file.
